Is Doe's Eat Place in Oxford, MS Closed?

Yesterday I was talking with the filmmaker, Joe York, who lives in Oxford, Mississippi, and he said that Doe's Eat Place in that town, which was located downtown in a Holiday Inn, closed about a month ago. Does anyone know any more about this? I had a wonderful meal there last summer, so I was surprised about this news.

I for one living in oxford, couldn't belive all the hype of Does'. It closed because ther was no business. There are so many gems in Oxford, this had no class, cuisine, or character. It may have been a great mom and pop place, but evolve with the times. Not only did it have not Atmosphere, Service, MANAGEMENT, the steaks were oversize, untrimmed, pieces of fat. Now, we are no where near food snobs, but charging for ribeyre that hasn't had the lip cut off is what a 9th grader in Home ec would know. and do you know what their "SteakSauce" is? they pour the grease and fat from the trap that is garbage onto your steak. If that is what you enjoy, then more power to you, but I serious doubt that if you take your steak with A1 or Heinz 57 you wouldn't know a good steak if it hit you in the face.

Sausageking...Well, you live in Oxford. Your comment about the grease trap and the steak sauces are bewildering. Did you work there? Just wondering since you emphasised "MANAGEMENT" in your criticisms. Are you involved in the business that took its place? Just a DISGRUNTLED customer? How about somemore info..this is only your second post.

I'd read Doe's had no atmosphere. Still there were raves. Many saying it was one of the best steaks in the US. Many magazines over the years touting the place..How else do we all know of it? But, you seem to know a lot about it so how about telling us more? You're saying they only served a rib eye (hate that cut) and that it was an untrimmed mess. How much did they charge? How was it cooked? Charbroiled? Broiled? How big?

We have enjoyed excellent Steaks at the two "Family Operated" Doe's Eat Place restaurants...Greenville, MS, and Paducah,KY. We have also heard very positive comments about the Little Rock, AR, franchise store. Both the Ribeyes (TTM's order) and My Porterhouses were outstanding !

This weekend we are returning to Paducah,KY, by way of the Shiloh Battlefield. We had planned a nice dinner at Does but this is the weekend of the Paducah Mutton BBQ Festival. So we will check out the 'Que being cooked all over town...then consider a dinner or not based on how the festival goes!

It maybe that the one in Oxford,Miss was just badly managed.If people complained about something like about their steak or other things, they would not re-emburse the patrons or whatever. That doesn't mean they were all bad,but just this one, so Doe's pulled the plug on it.

Considering his track record in this event, you would think that "TTM" would call ahead before driving from Hot Springs to Little Rock (Arkansas) to dine on the fine beef at DOE'S. However as much as we try to educate our young friend, He continues to jump behind the wheel of his rental and tear off to restaurants around the country without using his cell for a simple 'call ahead'!

Needless to say, Tonight, Sunday , October 11, 2009, THE TRAVELIN' MAN got a dose of his own medicine when he arrived at DOE'S, only to find it dark and empty. Yep, he was TTM'D !!

I spoke to you on the phone the other day and mentioned that I was planning to go to Doe's tonight. You could have let me in on the fact that they were closed.

I spoke to buffetbuster on the phone - as late as THIS MORNING - and mentioned that I was planning to go to Doe's tonight. HE could have let me know that they were closed.

I spoke to wanderingjew on the phone and told him that I was planning on going to Doe's tonight. I suppose that he COULD have told me that they were closed, but I know how much he enjoys having me go to places that are closed.

All that said, this is my responsibility. When I tell you just how much I was looking forward to a tasty steak tonight, you are going to feel really bad. I was supposed to go to Royer's Round Top Cafe this morning, but I got a late jump out of my hotel in Austin. Instead of stopping in Round Top, I decided to grab some stuff to go from Southside Market in Elgin. It wasn't a bad second choice, but it wasn't really what I had in mind. The drive was through constant driving rain. Not a happy start to a long travel day.

I was checked-in for my Southwest flight with an early boarding pass. I secured a nice window seat towards the back of the plane. People filled in around me - including a nice couple who sat in the row behind me. They were each holding a lap child - on an absolutely full flight. The child in the mother's arms proceeded to spend the next hour and a half wailing at the top of her lungs - pretty much directly in my left ear. I spent the entire length of my flight doing two things - calculating how many different ways there are to (in some cases, permanently) muzzle a child....AND...what I planned to order at Doe's that evening. The thought of that fine hunk of meat was all that kept me from strangling mother and child.

When the plane - FINALLY - landed and we all deplaned (yeah...seemed more like a four-hour flight than just over an hour!), I noticed that the terminal at Little Rock had free wi-fi. I logged on to see what time Doe's closes. It never even occurred to me that they wouldn't be open at all...just that I didn't want to get there too late! Little did I know that they close on Sundays at 10 pm on Saturdays. Fail.

But, while I was not smart enough to make a backup plan, I was smart enough NOT to drive my self into that lovely neighborhood, after dark, only to find the place closed....this time.

I feel your pain on the airplane ride because I have been there with the loud babies and the clueless parents. Sometimes it seems like the Dilbert cartoon that always comes to mind when I travel. Dilbert is checking in at the gate and looking forward to a smooth trip. Behind him in line one lady with a baby in tow asks another lady (who is also holding a baby) "Are you going to the Colicky Baby convention also?" (As we pan to a line of people with presumably colicky babies waiting to check in.)

I am used to the screaming baby contingent out of Orlando. Usually, I have much better luck avoiding them when I fly between two other cities. This trip...not so much. I don't know how I would have survived a flight of any serious distance.

Also, you will all be happy to know that I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Doe's tonight!

Doe's in Oxford closed because their landlord there in the Downtown Inn raised their rent sky high. They were in a different location on University Blvd. South in a fairly nice brick building but not really a good location. They were doing great though and why they moved to the Downtown Inn I don't know. I guess to better themselves but the rent went up when their lease ran out. One time I heard they may reopen in Oxford but I guess they have not found the right location. There was an Andy's Steakhouse just west of Downtown Inn and now it's closed. There's some property on the Square but it's high.

FYI- The Greenville MS and Paducah KY Doe's are family owned and run. The other locations are indeed Franchises. All reports I have heard about the Little Rock Franchise is that they are holding to the family-run standards.

Paducah Doe's is open and I have had some excellent steaks there. Of course, none will ever be better than at the original Doe's in Greenville. As to the previous post on fatty meat, I've never had a fatty steak. And using the drippings from the steak while it cooks makes the steak delicious. I pour it over the homemade fries!

I live in Paducah & the Doe's location here is alive and well...ate there a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, my expectations were pretty low...last two times there our steaks could only have been described as sub-par. Overcooked and tough. When I order a steak medium rare or rare I like to see at least some pink. No such luck. On the last visit I had almost decided to order something besides steak...but ended up getting a rib-eye. Wife was more determined...she ordered the grilled mahi-mahi. Both were excellent & I am sure we will go back next time we feel like spending too much for a steak:-) And they can keep the sauce they pour over your steak...whatever it is made from. No need for that with a good cut.

And Mayor Al......The festival you refer to is Barbeque on the River & has been going on for 18 years now...always the last weekend in Sept. You will find plenty of pork, ribs, chicken & maybe some brisket. I doubt there is enough mutton there to make a sandwich...have to go to Owensboro for that.